Thursday, January 31, 2008

How To Know What To Pay For Web Design

How do you know what to pay for web design? Do you go strictly on what you can afford or what you need? Web design is the creative presentation similar to the printed brochure, but that is where the similarity stops. Unlike a printed brochure, your web site is interactive. It is seen by millions of people. It is not limited to the hundred or even thousand that your sales people send and use as a leave behind after an in-person sales presentation. People visiting your website can respond instantly in ways other than a telephone call. Visitors can buy your products and services immediately. These are just a few of the differences.

Most people know about these differences. But when deciding what to pay for your website, these differences make a good yardstick. Another consideration is to weigh the outcome you want from your website.

1. Use your company brochure as a yardstick.

Let's not make this comparison using an investment in the popular tri-fold brochure. That's like comparing apples to oranges to use a tired old cliche. No, let's use your company's capabilities brochure. Say you ordered copywriting, graphic design and printing for a full-size 8 1/2 x 11 inch, 4-color brochure, 8 pages with a 4-page cover that weighs a bit more than the interior pages. This is a typical format. What do you suppose the cost is for your new capabilities brochure. $500? $800? $1200? If you own a capabilities brochure such as the one I just described, you know that the copy probably ran from $400-$800; graphic design $400 - $800; and 4-color printing and bindery $800 - $1200. Your total cost is from $1600 - $2800 and you haven't distributed one brochure to a potential buyer. Also, you have not factored in in the envelope cost, cover letter cost, enclosed business card cost, and postage. Yikes! It is starting to be clear just what a printed brochure can cost. Now, ponder on the redo costs if you need to make any changes to the copy, such as your telephone number, address, new products. It is a big bite out of the old apple, isn't it. You are going to need a complete redo and reprint. Ouch!

The investment in a website looks pretty good right now, doesn't it?

2. Now, let's look at the outcome you want from your website.

Sales! Most businesses have a website to support sales. Directly or indirectly. A standard brochure web design and development investment less than $2800 is going to have a higher outcome than that capabilities brochure. There's no doubt about it. But if you want to enable your web site to accept payment online, you're going to need a shopping cart. What about a way for people to signup for your mailing list. Do you want to add a newsletter to your site. Articles? Blog? RSS feed? Forum? Chat? Photo gallery?

These web enhancements turn your site into a unique landing place that people want to visit and buy from. Security features add credibility to further show visitors your business is real and can be trusted.

All these enhancements support your overall outcome to build sales revenue using the web as a new business channel. If that's your planned outcome, spare no expense to create the web site you need to deliver results: Your full-featured web site - loaded with special enhancements - suited for your particular business pay for itself ... easily. It is an investment, not a cost like your printed brochure.

When deciding on the funding you want to earmark for your website, keep in mind that it is a valuable business asset and profit center. Custom web design is an investment in future sales.

So how do you know what to pay for web design? Compare the investment to what you would pay for a capabilities brochure and then weigh the final outcome you want your web site to produce.

About the Author:

Alexandria Marx has 20 yrs direct marketing copywriting, web design and Internet marketing. Creative recognitions include Golden Web, Tops, Awards of Excellence for sales and marketing. Her web promotion strategies produce measureable results. DM-Creative

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Article published on July 15, 2007 at iSnare.com

The Basics Of Web Design

Today’s world is the world of innovation and technology. The human race has seen a great change in our every day life with the advent of World Wide Web. The Internet is now the most important communication and information exchange platform. As the World Wide Web is gaining more and more importance, the art of web design is also gaining significance. Web design has evolved from constructing very simple web sites to the modern day web sites that support media streaming as well. The newer versions of websites are even more advanced technically.

The important question here is that what web designing actually is. People very commonly use this term but not all of them understand what the word actually means. The art and science of web design is the presentation and designing of websites. The way you see the web sites on the Internet are that way because of the web designing factor. The web applications of all kinds are also graphically presented on the web through web designing. The basic web designing is done most often by the use of HTML. The use of CSS as the basic design for web designing is also common. Currently the use of a more innovative version of HTML, which is called as XHTML, is also used in web designing. This is the latest trend.

The competition in the online world has increased a great deal. It is now very important for all the web sites to stand out of the crowd. All the new entrants in the online world have to worry about keeping their websites different from their competitors. This is important to them. If they do not pay due attention towards this fact, they will not be able to create a unique selling point for their website. For this fact, many websites today use newer technologies while building their web sites. The context of web based businesses and online trade is also important for the construction of a website. The technical advancement required by the web site depends on the nature of its use. A social networking website needs other facilities as compared to an e-commerce site.

Web designing is sometimes confused with web development but these are two different techniques. Configuration of Web server is included in web development. Web designing is very much related to construction of web sites.

About the Author:

web site design

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Article published on July 09, 2007 at iSnare.com

Web Design: Be An Architect

Architecture is a word often used to describe the execution of knowledge-based content in web design. ‘Architecture’ is actually a very good term to use because when you work at developing content for your ecommerce site you can either throw it together in a haphazard way or you be very deliberate about how you ‘construct’ your knowledge-based web pages.

A Common Mistake

One of the mistakes that seems to be repeated most often is thinking your web pages need to function in much the same way as an ebook. In this scenario the web pages are difficult for casual viewers to use because there is so much information. Instead of a few hundred words, these pages include content that well exceeds 2,000 words. The reason this is a mistake is that the casual reader is looking for quick bites of information they can scan to determine its usefulness.

The eyes of your site visitors act as a racecar driver looking for signs that lead them to the racetrack. If your visitor doesn’t find what they are looking for they will take the exit ramp.

How to manage significant content

The management of site content should be thought of as a block of cheese for a party. No one is very interested in the cheese block by itself, but when it is cut up into bit-sized nuggets the cheese begins to disappear.

This is the best picture of the knowledge content of your website. The content as a whole presents a strong case for your online company, but it is less likely that site visitors will do much content consuming. When you can break your content into smaller identifiable chunks that can be consumed in the order of interest and over multiple sittings if needed the more likely the consumer is to ‘consume’.

You can provide architecture for web design that allows your content to flow from one subject to a complimentary subject with easy navigational links. This systematic approach to passing along information to sample and explore is a very positive way to move your site from ‘little used’ to ‘highly valued’.

Conclusion

Knowledge-based content has become a key component to both web design as well as Search Engine Optimization (SEO). A comprehensive, yet segmented, knowledge-based article warehouse can be a strong support for your website. If you are selling a product that is defined in the article you can, and should, provide internal links to allow the consumer to go directly to your ecommerce store for purchase if they so chose. Make it easy for your customers to take information and use it to facilitate a purchase.

About the Author:

Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of HighPowerSites and many other web projects. Get your own website online in just 5 minutes with HighPowerSites at: http://www.highpowersites.com. Start your own ebook business with BooksWealth at: http://www.bookswealth.com

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Article published on May 27, 2007 at iSnare.com

Web Design: Scannability

Would it interest you to know that most web users don’t come to your site to appreciate the attractiveness of the design? That’s not to say that an attractive web design isn’t important. However, the majority of site visitation happens because the consumer was motivated to look at your site to see if you could give them a reason to purchase from your ecommerce business.

The web is based on small resolution sizes. The words read online aren’t even as clear as newsprint. The pictures are often low resolution and a computer screen can tax the best of vision.

Practical Application

One of the most cost effective applications this information can produce is that you may not need a website filled with all the toys such as Java Script or Flash design. These tools add spice to your website, but can often detract or even annoy visitors who are simply looking for information they expect to find on your website.

A well ordered website can reap incredible rewards for ecommerce business. Effective bullet points, keywords or phrases accented in bold type and an easy to navigate page may have a greater impact on your ecommerce web design than anything.

What this may also mean is that the web design options you can chose from may expand.

Self-Directed Design

You see, if you know what will help make your site better you can self-direct the development of the site through template rich designs that allow you total control over the text in an easy to use environment that does not require the use of complicated code or extended training seminars to use.

Obviously many web design experts would rather have you seek an alternative using their personalized service, but in the end you have a stronger interest in the success of your website than a hired web developer. If you can utilize the tools available to make your site user friendly and highly scannable you will likely find you can achieve your own success in web design.

Writing for the Web

Content writing for web pages is not the same as writing for any other type of content. Thoughts must be compact and content must be scannable. This means when you write for the web you must help your reader find the subject they are most interested in using a sub-heading or indexing system that allows a quick scan to determine if your web page contains the information they need.

Even if your website does not contain the exact information your visitor wants they may be pleased to know it didn’t require extended reading to make that determination. In turn the visitor may venture to other pages of online content to determine if you have the information they need elsewhere on your site.

About the Author:

Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of HighPowerSites and many other web projects. Get your own website online in just 5 minutes with HighPowerSites at: http://www.highpowersites.com. Start your own ebook business with BooksWealth at: http://www.bookswealth.com

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Article published on May 26, 2007 at iSnare.com

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Using Scrollbars In Your Web Design

Do you like to design your website with scroll bars? That might not seem very important, however it is. In reality, website usability and the question of scrolling is one of the most important ones out there.

One of those everlasting questions of web design is whether users are okay with scrolling, or whether they dislike it. In fact, the answer lies somewhere the middle: a lot of users don't mind scrolling, but there are plenty of users who still don't scroll. You should be building your website so that scrolling isn't necessary for basic usability,but gives additionl value.

Ever since the early period of the web, people have become much more open to scrollable pages, thanks to mouse wheels and similar gadgets. These let them scroll with a quick flip, instead of the hassle it used to take. Therefore, your visitors will be much more eager to scroll on your website than they used to be, and this works to your benefit.

The answer, when it comes to scrolling, is to be nice about it. Place everything significant in a place that allows it to be found with no scrolling even on small screens. Give your users the option of whether to click or scroll, by connecting to the individual parts of the article at the top of the page in a table of contents.

Regardless you should keep your scrolling perpendicular. Left-to-right scrolling on the web is not advised. Users are not expecting it, mouse wheels cannot do it, and web browsers aren't built for it. In short, it is not a good idea. Every once in a while a designer will attempt to make it work, only to produce a frustrating website. So far, there hasn't been a good horizontally scrolling website.

Another ordinary design error when it comes to scroll bars is to think that you can do it better than the web browser, and use Flash to create abnormal scroll bars. While you might like the look you generate, it will certainly be less useful to your visitors than a normal scroll bar would have been.

If you use flash on your scroll bar it won't be instantly familiar as what it is. It's not likely to work with mouse wheels or keyboard shortcuts, and you probably won't even let users scroll by clicking in the accurate way they want. You end up designing a scroll bar that's perfect for you, but annoying for everyone else. Even though you might think the original scroll bars are ugly, people know how they work, and they're used to them.

Even if you dislike scroll bars, it's always a bad idea to replace them with pagination. An article can effortlessly become three or four pages long with the user having to click a 'next' button to get from one page to the next. If you think users dislike scrolling, then you have to understand that they dislike waiting for new pages to load even more: if your site needs them to wait for more than a few seconds between pages, they'll get rid of articles even if they're in the middle of reading them.

About the Author:

For more information on web design and using a Simple Web Site Builder please visit our webiste.
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Article published on May 16, 2007 at iSnare.com

Want To Know Why You Should Not Outsource Web Design?

Picture the scene…

…You’re an internet marketer or just becoming interested; and you want to get a few websites up so you can start selling some products to make a bit of moolah.

After all, there’s no alternative to taking action. Get your websites up and get stuck in.

But, how do you go about getting your websites up?

The first choice that jumps into your head is probably to hire a web designer; you may not be keen on the financial investment, but if you don’t act now, you probably never will…

…And you’ll end up missing the boat all together.

So, you’ll be forgiven for feeling surprised as I convince you not to hire a web designer. In fact, I think it’s the last thing you should do.

First off; who would you hire anyway? Unfortunately it’s an online “scamfest” when it comes to outsourcing online. You need to be very careful about who you approach to hire as your hard earned cash could be at serious risk.

Most of the good and trustworthy web designers will be booked up months in advance so you need to be wary of one who’s ready to take immediate action… Well, immediate action right after your first deposit that is.

Sure, not everyone gets scammed; but I know I nearly was…

…Think you’re safe?

Then there’s the time factor. As mentioned, the good designers will be booked solid. Don’t expect any favours or preferential treatment either; you’ll need to join the back of a very long queue and wait your turn.

Then when you finally get your turn, there’s the dozens of e-mails back and forth as you try to get your website design vision across to a designer who is perceiving their own vision… They’re always trying to add their own touch to the design process, because they’re creative folks; allegedly.

Time is money and can you afford to be wasting either?

Oh yeah, and speaking of money… Do you think $600, plus additional fees for updating is fair for what will be a generally basic website?

You’ve seen these internet marketing sites and quite frankly they’re no flashier than the text in this article, but that’s because they don’t need to be, words sell; so why are we paying such high design fees?

Then there are certain control issues; now I’m no control freak, but I wouldn’t be a huge fan of a stranger retaining total control of one of my more valuable online assets, would you be?

What if they got upset with me one day and decided to delete a website I had worked really hard on marketing?

Some people are just like that, I’m telling you.

No, hiring a web designer shouldn’t be the first thing on the “to do” list of an up and coming internet marketer.

There is a better way to start, a way of getting hands on marketing experience, keeping total control of your website, and saving a little money & time too...

...Which are all good things.

The big secret is discovering how to build your own websites; and it’s not as hard as you’d think either… Look into that, because that’s your way forward!

About the Author:

At just 22 Colm O'Dwyer already owns and operates several websites; including his acclaimed web design tutorial. Colm is a keen marketer, copywriter and search engine optimizer who's always happy to help.
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Article published on April 25, 2007 at iSnare.com

Web Design For Novices

Paralysis of Choice

So you want to create your first web site but are feeling more than a little daunted by the thought. First step… relax. Just about everyone who has ever created a web site has been here before. The feeling is not uncommon. Perhaps one of the scariest things about the whole prospect of creating a web site is the sheer number of choices out there.

There is a phenomenon that I like to call the paralysis of choice. It goes like this… give me a choice between two or three items, no problem. That’s easy. But now make it a choice between twenty items and a paralysis starts to set in. There are simply too many choices! And with people afraid of making the wrong choice, they decide that the safest choice is no choice at all. At least this way, they haven’t made a mistake. So instead of getting wrapped-up in things like HTML, XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Php, let’s go more basic where there are fewer choices.

Do-It-Yourself

The first choice is whether to do it yourself or pay for someone else to do it. For many people, this one is decided by budget alone. Web sites built from scratch can cost a lot of money. So let’s assume that you’ve already decided that you want or need to do-it-yourself otherwise you probably would have already shelled out the money and wouldn’t be reading this article. Am I right?

Web-Based Services

The second choice is whether to use a web-based service or to construct the web site on your own computer. Many hosting services have built-in online web site building tools. While you can certainly construct a web site, the end results are usually pretty rudimentary. This avenue is probably just fine for a little personal web site, but most likely not enough to impress more important visitors, like clients and customers.

A Step Above

A step above the online web site building tool is the stand alone program that allows you to construct a web site without knowing any HTML or other types of coding. Among the better ones is Incomedia’s Website X5 which comes in two flavors: Compact and Evolution. Think of these as personal and business.

You start from a number of template choices and then color combinations. Between those two elements alone, the chances of your site looking just like someone else’s is pretty slim. The main idea of Website X5 is to divide each page into a grid. In each square of the grid you decide what’s going to go there: text, a picture, a flash movie, or a slideshow, etc. Adding those elements is easy. Not bad. And it gets you an end product better than those online web site builders. But I’m still a less than wowed.

Web Templates

OK. As is usually typical I’ve saved the best for last! Unlike the canned web site templates that come with software like Microsoft’s FrontPage (now dubbed Expression Web); professional web site templates are much more sophisticated and give you much more control over each design element. Each template typically comes with a list of software you would need to edit the template before you buy it. Higher level templates may require specialized software like Flash. But for a typical price of between $55 and $75 for most templates, this is short money compared to paying someone to design a web site from scratch.

Most templates also come with Adobe Photoshop (PSD) files. Even the low-cost Photoshop Elements can fully edit these. The beauty of this is that for the price of less than $100 you’ll have the ability to edit every single little design element. This makes customizing your template much easier. For most templates, the only other software you would need is the design software like: FrontPage, Dreamweaver, Expression Web, SharePoint Designer, and more.

If you’d like to add Flash elements to your website, but can’t afford Macromedia Flash (now Adobe Flash) there are the poor man’s alternatives like SWiSHmax. SWiSHmax allows you to create Flash (SWF) files without having Flash and costs only a fraction of the price. Take a look at SWiSHzone on the web for more information. If you’d like to use SWiSH as an alternative, simply look for web templates that list SWiSH as one of the softwares.

Customizing

Many people don’t realize that most templates can be professionally customized for an individual. Simply look for template customizing services where you buy your template. Since you are beginning with a template that you’ve picked out, you have a much better idea how it’s going to turn out after some custom tweaking and there are fewer surprises. There’s much less risk involved than with a web site designed from scratch.

You can generally save hundreds of dollars by starting with a template even after adding in custom tweaking if you prefer someone else to do it. Remember, you’re not starting from scratch. You already have a fully function site, so the costs of editing a template are small compared with the cost of constructing a full web site.

Bottom Line

So for a novice like yourself that wants to do-it-yourself, you basically have three choices: 1) use a web-based service like the one than probably comes with your webhosting plan, 2) use standalone software like Incomedia’s Website X5, or 3) start with a web site template. The results you can expect will probably increase in quality in the same order.

About the Author:

Malcolm Broderick's web templates are all about the ability to draw visitors into a site. While good content will always bring visitors back a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th time, the truth is there won't be a 1st time without a visually striking site. http://www.icandytemplates.com

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Article published on April 11, 2007 at iSnare.com

Web Design Basics You Want To Know

Here are some of the basics of web design that you should know on your own without your web design company having to teach you:

Web Design- on Graphics

• Always think small. In order to optimize your page and avoid slow loading pages, make sure you set your graphics to a file size of only about 10 to 12KB per image. It is true though that broadband technology have advanced leading to increase of speed, but the number of broadband users are increasing at a steady rate as well. Slow pages are always annoying, and no doubt your web design company will agree with this.

• Use graphics that are suitable to the page content. Adorable pictures should not be posted on the page just because they are adorable. Make sure that all your graphics have something to do with the site. An exception will be on design images, which are made up of photos and graphics that make up the page design and have nothing to do with the content.

• Minimize the use of blinking, rotating, flashing or changing images or graphics. These types are the ones which annoy and distract people the most. You need your online visitors to look at the contents of the page, and not get distracted by these graphics.

Web Design- On Layout

• Try to get by with standard layouts. I have seen them all: from those pages with eight frames, to those which you need to scroll to the right then downwards. These layouts are novel and cute, but they are pretty darn confusing. The reason why your web design company suggests the use of the standard 3-column layout is because it is what works well with the general audience. The same is true for newspapers and other media print. This can prove to be boring, but you have to bear with it to make sure you do not drive your visitors nuts.

• Pay attention to whitespace. You should know that whitespace is not just a CSS property, but is one of the functions of your layout. The whitespace actually has a bearing on how the page content is viewed, and is just as important in your web page layout as it obviously is in paper.

• Use graphics as actual elements in your layouts. If you use graphics as actual element in your page layout, it serves a far better role.

Web Design- On Fonts

• Use standard fonts. You can get by using Serif for your headlines and Sans-Serif for your actual text. Do not wonder if your web design company advises the use of this font family. Serif fonts are actually easier to read on monitors than it is in print since screen resolution is lower in the former.

• Minimize the use of different fonts. It is undeniable that ages with varying fonts here and there look like they are made by an amateur. Doing this will not make your web design company very happy. Try to limit your site and page to about two or a maximum of three standard font families. Trust me; they look a lot more professional.

• Use only standard fonts. You can use rare fonts that look pretty good. However, the chances that your online visitors will have the same font installed in their system might be low. If you stick will general fonts such as Arial, Helvetica, or Verdana, your pages will look better and your designs will likely be in the right places once they are viewed.

Web Design- On Advertising

• Never be greedy of advertisements. Yes, you and your web design company have the actual control over the ads that can be placed on the site. However, know that your readers do not visit your page to read the ads, but they need significant content. Do not overwhelm them with ads that overshadow the content of your site, or you might tend to lose their interest immediately. Instead, keep them small and subtle (no flashy ads, please), but relevant and strategically placed to draw attention.

Web Design is about remembering Your Readers

• Make sure to test your page in different browsers and operating system combinations. Your web design company requires you to come up with sites that are viewable and effective. Coming up with a page that is only compatible with the most modern browser and the latest operating system is simply unacceptable. Make sure that your page design is compatible with as many browser and OS system combinations as possible.

• Write the content that readers want. Remember that you are making a website that is not for yourself, but for your readers. So make sure that you create content that covers topics that your visitors would like to read. Your web design company will appreciate this as well.

About the Author:

Semul Johnson is a Marketing expert with a leading SEO services company specializing in SEO web design.

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Article published on November 09, 2007 at iSnare.com

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Telford Web Design

Telford is a great place for people to visit as well as live and work. The town is very modern and is in sharp contrast to the surrounding countryside Shropshire. Telford was designated a new town in 1963 and was originally developed to alleviate the over population in Birmingham and the Black Country. Telford is now widely known as ‘the cradle of the industrial revolution’; Ironbridge is a World Heritage Site and is visited by thousands of people from all over the world every year. With 10 museums including Blist Hill Victorian Town, Enginuity, Coalbrookdale Musuem of Iron, Jackfield Tile Museum and Coalport China Museum. All of these museums will give you a great insight into the history of the industrial revolution.

Telford’s central location makes it a perfect base for exploring the regions many attractions. The M54 motorway runs right through the town linking Telford with the M6 and the rest of the UK’s motorway network. It is a modern town with great shopping and business facilities. There are many wonderful places to visit in and around Telford and the town is and is recognised as an important growth point in the West Midlands region.

If you live in the Telford area and have a business and are thinking having a website designed for your company then you need think about a few important factors. Do you have a domain name? Do you need hosting? What is your budget? Do you need an ecommerce website with a shopping trolley to sell products? Will you need to update your site yourself in the future? Once you have answered these questions you can then go about finding a good company that offer all of these services.

Finding a competent company that has a portfolio of work is very helpful. You can look through their portfolio and see some of the websites they have designed for previous customers.

The eCommerce design is very important to the success of any web site. You want to be sure that your website is designed right. One of the first things you notice about a website is whether it is pleasant to the eye. Bright flashing coloured text is very off putting as is a flash intro. A very important key is to make sure your site loads quickly. You will loose a great deal of customers if your pages take over 5 seconds to load.

It is a lot easier if you can find a company that can do everything for you. A company that can sell you the domain name as well as the hosting. Some hosting companies also offer web design which would make the whole experience a lot easier. Dealing with the same people for your domain name, hosting, email, web design makes the who process a lot easier. For one you only need one contact telephone number. A company with good customer support is a must. Not all companies offer this and this and it can be very frustrating. You want to know that if you have any trouble you can just call for customer support or technical support.

About the Author:

Carolyn Clayton is the webmaster for Discount Domains ltd a leading UK Domain Name registration, web hosting and website design company. Contact Discount Domains for a free quote on Telford Web Design.

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Article published on December 07, 2006 at iSnare.com

Useful Web Design Tips

There are many aspects to designing an effective web site. Whether you own a company and are looking for advertise, promote, and sell your products and services, or you just simply want to create a web page that will tell others more about you, you want to be sure people will notice it. That is why effective web design is essential to the promotion of yourself, your product, and, of course, your site.

The first thing people are likely to notice when they visit your site is its appearance. It is a good idea to make sure the content is clear and concise so there won̢۪t be any confusion about where to find information. That will save visitors time, and can mean the difference between their continuing to browse your site, or simply finding another like it. The following are some tips that will help you effectively design your site, and can help promote you as well as what you have to offer.

Loading time is probably the most crucial aspect of web design. Just because you have a great looking web site does not mean others will see it if it takes a long time to load. The design you choose should be optimized for the web, and should generally take no more than 15 seconds to load. If the load time is longer than this, people are likely to click on another site instead. While pictures, graphics, and sound can definitely make it appealing, they can take a while to load, so you don̢۪t want to have too many on the front end. The same goes for each individual page on your web site. If a particular page takes too long to load, the person perusing your site may decide to go elsewhere for the information.

Clear navigation is another important aspect of good and effective web design. If your site is easy to get around, users are less likely to become confused. If information is too difficult to locate, they will more than likely go elsewhere to find it. Be sure the links and information are placed so that they make sense to those visiting your site. If there is a logical order, be sure to follow it.

Design your site in terms of percentage, not pixels. This is important because of the many different screen resolutions available for computers today. You want to be sure yours will work for these various resolutions so that more people will be able to access your site and view its contents.

Web browser compatibility is also a very important aspect of good web design. When creating your site, don̢۪t stop when it looks good and works well with one browser. Make sure it works with commonly used browsers such as Internet Explorer and Netscape. This is important because what is compatible with one browser may not be with another. Since the object is to draw as many people as you possibly can to your site, making sure they are able to access it is important.

There are many other features you can add to your site to make it more appealing. Keep in mind that the people who visit your site will come from a wide variety of computer backgrounds, and will own different computer equipment. Be as diverse as you possibly can, and remember that the web is constantly evolving, and in order to keep up, you must evolve with it.

About the Author:

Web Design in cooperation with Just Web Page

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Article published on December 18, 2006 at iSnare.com

Web Design: A Three Second Impression

"We find that Web sites have three seconds to make an impression." - Jeff Rosenblum, Questus

According to a 2005 report on holiday shopping conducted by Questus, it was web design and function that held the most meaning to online visitors. Roger Park in a report based on those findings said, “70 percent of online shoppers consider web design as a key role in 2005 online holiday spending.”

The report went on to say, “Over 30 percent of online shoppers cited navigation, the checkout process, and product descriptions as critical site aspects that impacted their completion of online purchases.”

Users cite lengthy registration requests as a primary reason they avoided certain online retailers. However, to explain how motivated online shoppers have become you need to understand that 77% of online users during the 2005 holiday season actually conducted an online purchase.

"Information overload is a critical and consistent problem, and in this study we found that Web users were more likely to say that a site had too many links as opposed to too few links." – Jeff Rosenblum, Questus

More than 3/4th of the respondents indicated the professionalism of the site was a primary factor in moving forward with a purchase. If a site did not appear professional, the respondent typically moved on to another site.

As web users become more sophisticated so too should web designers. If you have difficulty in developing your own site an online site builder may provide the professionalism and consistency you need in site design.

“Consumers who made an online purchase in the past three months are more than 80% likely to make another purchase in the coming three months.” – Consumer Internet Barometer

The demand for online shopping spurs a phenomenal growth pattern. Online shoppers are discovering the value of being able to shop from the comfort of home without commute time, line waiting and stores that don’t have the item they are seeking.

The web user remains in the driver’s seat with the ability to click easily to, or away from, your site. The design function of your website is incredibly important in the midst of a growing throng of motivated shoppers.

“The top reason online consumers prefer to shop on the web is to avoid crowds, a reason cited by 38% of respondents.” Neilson/NetRatings

Do not assume that simply because consumers are migrating toward cyber-shopping that you simply need to set up shop and hope for the best. Web design is becoming a primary source for decision-making among online consumers.

About the Author:

Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of HighPowerSites and many other web projects. HighPowerSites is the easiest do-it-yourself website builder on the web. Get your own website online in just 5 minutes with http://HighPowerSites.com at: http://www.highpowersites.com

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Article published on October 23, 2006 at iSnare.com

Web Design Templates

If you are building a consumer driver website, it needs to look the part. Websites designed for search engines and spiders are not of the same caliber as websites for actual customers or clients. All marketers know it is best to start dabbling in a project to test its possibilities before committing full-scale, and the best way to do so is to create a basic site, and see if the target customers start arriving.

To build this site, you need to use better techniques than with previous, non-visually based websites. The cheapest and easiest way to do so is to use web design templates These can help bridge the gap between concept and success, and most templates are so professional in appearance; they might be exactly what you need when the business really gets rolling, too.

Conception

When forming a new business line, building the website is the first step. Sometimes the actual concept is still vague when you start building the website, but browsing through the sheer number of templates available can give you ideas. If you know you are going to sell e-books, for example, looking at a good selection might give you ideas about adding forums or a blog to you site.

Most web design templates are arranged in categories or according to features, making searches easier to perform. On a lazy day, marketers might even scan through the templates looking for inspiration on new product lines or services. Formats for video hosting might spark an interest and generate an idea for a new interest.

Maturation

Once the website is planned, templates make it simple to build. They act as blue prints and are easily modified with popular software such as FrontPage or Dreamweaver. Find specific formats that meet your needs and start adding the content. When all content is in place, you have a professional website ready to upload and promote.

The basic formats make website creation considerably easier and less expensive than custom design. With a new product launch, it is important to have a stylish website, but it is not necessary to shell out thousands of dollars on a product that might not be successful. It is far more prudent to use templates to make a website satisfactory until the product is a proven success.

Success

When a product is deemed successful, you might revisit the website and upgrade it. Again, this does not have to mean expensive custom work. Templates are available in a multitude of styles, and the individuals creating these templates are often the same professionals behind custom design.

Find new website templates, or keep your old designs as the basis of your site, but customize them further to meet your needs. Add a logo or take out the shopping cart. Once you’ve purchased a template it is yours to tweak as you see fit, and tweaking an already great looking website is considerably less time-consuming and expensive than creating a new one from scratch. Why reinvent? You’re time is better spend elsewhere.

About the Author:

Hasan Saleem Author’s Websites – http://www.bitextra.com, http://www.templatesfactory.net and http://www.webhosting-directory.org

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Article published on July 27, 2007 at iSnare.com

Monday, January 28, 2008

Three Useful Tips On Web Design

How to use custom 404 pages

You might be surprised to hear that 404 pages will probably be one of the most seen pages in your website! A 404 page is the page displayed if someone tries to reach a page on your website that does not exist. All web servers like Apache and IIS have a default 404 page that is displayed to people. Actually 404 pages are just simple HTML pages, you can change the default 404 page to a page that displays anything you want. So instead of the common ‘this page does not exist’ message that tells your visitors nothing, you can put up an informative page that will help them find what they are looking for. A good idea is to take your site-map page, and make it the 404 page for your website. Another idea would be to make your 404 page a search page where people could search your site. And how do you tell the web server, where your new customized 404 page is sitting? This is something you have to ask your host do for you. Just ask them about allowing you to do this, and they should be able to make the quick change to their servers.

Tip one: Use contain files for repeating content
As you may already know there are lots of repeated content in a website. Things like page headers, page footers and navigation menus come to mind. Include files are separate pages of HTML code that contain things like the ones I just mentioned; things that are intended to be used on many different pages; you should use contain file for all this repeated stuff. Main purpose behind using contain files is to save lot of time.
For example: if say you have the same menu on 30 different web pages, include files will allow you to keep all your menus up to date on all your web pages easily since to update all your pages, all you have to do is update the one include file rather than all the 30 pages individually. There are many different technologies you can use to ‘contain’ things this way; the most common are listed here:

Alternative: 1. Server side includes using either: PHP, ASP, JSP etc …

Alternative: 2. Using client-side includes tools like found in Dreamweaver.

To include a file with PHP all you need to do is insert this code in your PHP pages:

Here all you have to do is name the file that you want to ‘contain’ in your page. So in the above example the page we want to include is called ‘mainMenu.php’.

In ASP, it is very similar:

Here, the included file is in a folder called ‘contained’ and the file being included is called ‘header.asp’

Tip two: having a site map for every web site
Both search engines and actual live visitors use site maps. They are almost essential for just about any website because they provide an easy to use macro view of your website. In a nutshell, a site map is essentially a categorized page of links to all your websites’ pages. Many users will just go to a sitemap to find what they are looking for, while search engines will ‘creep’ to your sitemap page to index your site and that is another nice If you are interested in SEO a site map is one of the key additions to your websites. It will not only help finding them your web pages but also increase your ‘hits’.

Tip three: Having a steady footer
It may seem a very small thing but Page footers are not less important. We had them in books forever. So it only makes sense to present people something they are familiar with. But in the case of the web, you can provide a lot more useful information in the page footer. It will make your website more user-friendly. Some ideas include: your contact information: email address, your phone number et cetera. Another good idea is to have a text-only navigation menu in your footer. Nothing fancy, just a series of text links that can get people to the major sections of your website. Sounds simple? Of course but it is very helpful when you make your website more dependable and friendly.

Summary:

Tips are something you appreciate when you actually use it. These small looking three tips are also not an exception; you will come to know its usability when you will actually use it. So, till you come to know its real value we wish you ‘happy web designing’!

About the Author:

Author: Mr. Charles K from http://www.scriptbean.com custom web development services desk. I hope you enjoyed the article. Find more affordable web design solutions at http://www.scriptbean.com and http://www.softbean.com

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Article published on November 28, 2007 at iSnare.com

Web Design A Website For All

How many customers are you losing every day in your ecommerce website? I suppose every business owner expects some customer loss, but did you know you could be losing more customers than you may have realized?

Tim Berners-Lee is credited with creating the Worldwide Web and he always envisioned an online experience that would be useable to all online visitors. This vision included individuals with a variety of handicaps.

While there are web applications that allow vision and hearing impaired visitors to use websites, many site designers do very little to help these individuals navigate their website.

Interestingly one of the key factors that minimize effective use of an ecommerce website design is an over produced website with multi navigational tabs. A growing number of baby boomers and senior citizens are using the web and the use of a site that is difficult to navigate makes the site essentially ‘off limits’ to these potential customers who often leave in frustration.

Consider these financial facts from the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey.

* The 50 and older have $2.4 trillion in annual income, which accounts for 42% of all after-tax income.

* Adults 50 and older account for an estimated $1 trillion+ in total expenditures in 2005.

* Consumers 50 and older own 65% of the net worth of all U.S. households.

The demographic for those over the age of fifty find a consumer base with the most disposable income, increased buying power and this demographic often provides an increased level of brand loyalty.

Interestingly television networks have essentially turned their back on this demographic by providing program geared to viewers 35 and younger.

It is possible that web design could benefit by remembering a demographic who may have an interest in purchasing products or services from your website as long as you make sure to provide a means of accessing the website in a way that is attractive yet easily accessible.

Many websites rely on flash design. In a scenario in which you are seeking the age 50+ consumers you may want any flash you provide to be instructional on the use of the site. However, you may be better served by using straightforward text and graphics and by simplifying the steps your customers must use to make a purchase.

"In most [web design] projects, accessibility has fairly low priority because project managers underestimate the number of people who are impacted by design problems." Jakob Neilson

If you can make your web design appealing and easily accessible you will find all your customers being able to maximize the pleasure of the visit and may likely develop into repeat customers.

About the Author:

Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of HighPowerSites and many other web projects. Get your own website online in just 5 minutes with HighPowerSites at: http://www.highpowersites.com. Start your own ebook business with BooksWealth at: http://www.bookswealth.com

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Article published on May 18, 2007 at iSnare.com

Web Design – Is It An Art?

Web design is an art. There’s no question about that. The question is: how many websites designed by real web designers are out there? With the amount of crap that purely invades the Internet and suffocates the users nowadays, there are serious reasons to doubt that web design is an art in its own right.

So called web designers create terrible made for AdSense sites, or those awful personal pages that have nothing to say. But the Internet is a World and you should expect to find, as in the real world, tones of nonsense and digital rubbish. Such websites have no real value, are full of grammatical errors, respect no design techniques, blend colors, fonts and graphics irrationally, display flashy banners, annoying gifs and so on. Sites like these make people believe that it is ok to put up a website even if it is lousy. Anyone can start a website, but, can anyone design a website? Obviously not, since new websites appear online every day that are not good at all.

Web design combines traditional arts with technical skills. A web designer is not just a web coder: he or she is an artist able to understand the value of image and other visual elements, and knows what impact these might have on the viewers. The web designer works with images and words to create the perfect web layout. To create unique websites, the kind of websites that really add value to the World Wide Web, skilled web designers use various tools. They might retouch pictures and graphics or create astonishing images using programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Jasic Paint, Photo Impact and so on. They might use 3D software or Flash to design dramatic layouts that will transport the visitors into another world. No matter what tools they employ, professional web designers create functional, astonishing web pages.

Don’t believe that web design, as an art, is not for business, corporate or informative websites. As a matter of fact they need it the most. While business and informational websites don’t need to be artistic, they need to inspire. Corporate websites need clear designs, simple layouts so that any visitor could access the information fast and understand the purpose of the website. To create a website that sends the right message and develops brand awareness in an agreeable manner is an art. A good website can sell a service or products, but this doesn’t mean that its appearance should fade. Compare a website to a car: you need it to transport your visitors through a space full of information. You don’t want them to be bored by what you have to offer. You want to entertain them, to mesmerize their minds, to make them come back. What it will be: a Hollywood like limousine or a second hand car? Yes, it’s true: it’s not the car that matters, but the ride. However, when you travel in an uncomfortable seat you might not enjoy the ride. And doesn’t anyone dream for a first-class ticket?

After all this being said, you do not have to hire a web designer to build a great site in today’s online world. Web design is an art, but with the advent of the new high power website builders, anyone can create a high quality website for a fraction of the cost of hiring a web designer. This is especially true of web building programs that are template driven.

Online web building programs using this “template driven” technology allow the user to make their website using professionally designed templates. This means the “art” of web design has already been done. The user simply chooses their template, adds their own content and photos, and in a matter of hours or days, a HIGH QUALITY website is created!

Don’t be fooled. Not all website builders are the same. Make sure you use a website builder that includes ecommerce capabilities without an additional charge. One such program is HighPowerSites.

In conclusion: You can hire a skilled, talented web designer to create your business website but you will pay a high price as web designers are not cheap. Or you can use a top notch web building program for a fraction of the cost. You’ll need to pay the price for either one, but high quality websites don’t come cheap. If you are serious about doing business online, you should invest in your website. The future belongs to those that provide for quality on the World Wide Web.

About the Author:

Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of HighPowerSites and many other web projects. HighPowerSites is the easiest do-it-yourself website builder on the web. No programming or design skill required. Get your own website online in just 5 minutes with http://HighPowerSites.com at: http://www.highpowersites.com

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Article published on August 30, 2006 at iSnare.com

Good Web Design

In today’s highly technical world, everything is online. There is nothing you cannot buy, sell, trade, research, find pictures of, or play if you have a computer and Internet connection. These days, there is a web site out there for anything you could name.

Which means that someone probably has a web site a lot like yours? As competition for page views grows more intense, web design more technical, and the Internet more popular, good web design becomes more important than ever before. If you have a web site, then you want visitors to view that site. Good web design is the only way to make that happen.

The average Internet cruiser is more jaded these days, harder to impress. Good web design is the only way to get repeat visitors. There are several basic key elements to good web design that every web designer must know how to use.

Content. Internet search engines have grown very clever about searching content on web sites these days. Good web design is centered on your web site’s content. What keywords will people search to find your site? Once you know what your keywords are, you have to have plenty of content on your site that features those keywords. There are several free web sites that allow you to check your keyword content. Use them. Content is what search engines look at first, so it is here that you must make your impression.

Links. Search engines, and your visitors, love links. You want links that connect to other pages of your site, internal links, as well as external links that connect to pages outside your domain. The more links you have, the better, so use them liberally throughout your site. Links also improve the navigation of your site, which is incredibly important to good web design.

Graphics. Bright colors, pictures, and fun fonts will make or break your web site. Graphics are going to fly at Internet cruisers every way they look, so you want to make an impression with the graphics on your site. Good web design is about a pleasing flow of colors, pictures, graphics, and text. Don’t over clutter your pages, but make them exciting and interesting to look at.

Good web design is about learning how to balance key elements that appeal to search engines and your viewers. Your pages should flow together, your navigation should be easy, and your site filled with content. The only way to increase traffic to your site is through good web design that is updated regularly. This will ensure repeat, and new, business to your site. The more visitors you have, the better. Good web design is the only way to make that happen.

About the Author:

web design greece

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Article published on July 24, 2006 at iSnare.com

Se Friendly Web Design

An SE friendly web design, or a search engine friendly web design, is one of the essential components to generating traffic to your ecommerce website through search engines. Of course, your web site must be appealing to the eye of the consumer, but it must also be appealing to the 'eye' of the search engine. Search engines 'read' websites in order to find and rank the ones most appropriate for each keyword phrase entered by a potential customer.

Designing a search engine friendly website is not difficult. Some of the elements you should implement in your design may even seem like plain common sense. You may be surprised, however, to learn how many people don't follow these simple rules and create websites that search engines find difficult to read.

First of all, the text should be in a simple font. The fancy cursive like scripts may look pretty, but they aren't very easy for the eye to scan. Neither are they easy for the search engine to read. This means keeping the font basic, the color plain, and the size normal. Black, 12 point, Times New Roman, Courier, or Arial are preferred. The actual text is not where you want to draw the attention. Instead, the subject that the text conveys should be in the spotlight.

Furthermore, arrange your text naturally just as you would on the page. Use proper paragraphs and bullet points as well as other devices to break up the text into bite size pieces. Take it easy when using capital letters, bold faced print, and exclamation points. Using as much text as possible (at least 250 words but no more than 750 words) will help search engines not only find you but rank you as an expert in the field and place you closer to the top of the list.

Avoid flashing text and cutesy graphics at all costs. Not only are they distracting and amateurish, but search engines read graphics and pictures like blank space. Blank space doesn't boost page rankings. Make sure that every page utilizes text and specific key words associated with the product or information that you are utilizing to pull in targeted traffic. Text is the focus as far as search engines are concerned. Graphics are for the customer, and each one should sell an aspect of your product and carry meaning. But if search engine friendly design is your goal, take careful consideration of your text.

Another thing to avoid in creating a solidly SE friendly website design is spam. This can show up in your site in the form of hidden text in the HTML code. Instead, make sure that your HTML code includes Meta Tags. These aren't the big hook to catch the attention of search engines that they once were, but they do help. And every little bit adds up to a higher page ranking!

Another element of search engine friendly web design and, possibly the most important, is the layout of your site. Unwieldy navigation with dead end links on your site does not just annoy the potential customer, but it confuses search engines, as well. Confusing search engines is no way to boost your rankings, your traffic, or your sales. Use a sitemap if you need to and make sure that the hierarchy of pages makes sense. Use a Google sitemap if you have a large site, and make sure that your navigation tools are concise and specific – no creative misnomers or questionable graphics.

Though the elements of search engine friendly web design emphasize simplicity and therefore come across as simplistic, ignoring them will not only turn off customers but search engines as well. Make your web site search engine friendly and watch your traffic increase exponentially in no time.

About the Author:

Mark is a webmaster with Discount Domains a leading Budget Web Design house. Please feel free to republish this article provided a working hyperlink remains to our site.

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Article published on June 09, 2006 at iSnare.com

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Custom Web Design

Why are custom websites so important?

Custom websites are among the most important PR instruments used in modern business. Studies show that suppliers, vendors, clients and employees are all more likely to research your company online than through any other medium. Recognizing the value in effective custom web design brings better awareness and professionalism to your organization, using your website and the internet to its full potential.

Your custom website design team needs to create professional, custom websites that impress your visitors, build brand recognition, and sell products and services. Being closely-knit with the design team, in collaboration with you, using a proven strategy to ensure that the final design matches your specific needs and expectations. In addition, the custom web design team should have a grasp of what information your visitors will be coming to your website to view, learn and educate themselves with.

Custom web design is just that, custom to your needs. When looking for a web design firm, they should always be thinking of you and your business. Whether you are selling products online or services to your clientele, your website should reflect that. The internet is a vast and readily used tool, don’t disappoint your visitors, get a custom web site that is designed for you specifically.

The first step to finding the right firm is by discussing your business and its objectives. Once you have a clear vision together of your needs, you need a proposal that includes details about your custom website, marketing plan and pricing. The next step is deciding upon which firm you will choose.

After you sign your contract, the development of your custom website will begin. At this time, it would be a great idea to supply your designers with information for your website (i.e. copy, pictures, products, contact information, etc.). An outline of the pages you would like to include, breaking each section down with what information you would like to have in those sections. The development of your custom website should begin smoothly from here.

Once you are pleased with the final product, your website will officially be launched. Once you are officially “online”, sending out press releases of your new site and its wealth of information is a great idea to bring some traffic to your site.

Custom web design for you and your company is highly important. Just having a templated site that isn’t truly right for your company layout and image is just a waste of time. Websites are an investment, invest wisely in custom web design for better results.

About the Author:

Resources: http://www.aarcmedia.com sales@aarcmedia.com
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Article published on April 30, 2006 at iSnare.com

Color And Web Design

Color is one of the most important but least understood elements of web design today. Whether they know it or not, visitors to a site respond to colors and other visual elements on the site on a psychological level. Color affects the emotion of the audience, and emotion drives decision-making. An intrigued visitor is more likely to engage in the goal of your site -- whether it is meant to inform, entertain, or to sell products or services. If the colors are unsuitable, the eye will reject the site and your product may be rejected too, no matter how good it is.

A well-considered color scheme is frequently the difference between an okay web site and a great web site. It can also make a site unusable if the scheme used is too outrageous and hard on the eye.

Keep it Simple

A color palette that uses three or fewer overall colors contributes to the clarity of a web page. The reader will be able to find information quicker on a simple site versus a complex site that may make them feel frustrated and lost. Be consistent. Color each element (links and the menu items etc.) the same on each page so that your audience will instinctively know where to look for information on your page.

Use White Space!

This relates to the previous point of keeping it simple. There are a lot of sites with too much information cluttering up the screen. Your audience will have trouble searching for navigation and the information they need amongst a bunch of clutter. White space balances colors, lets the design breathe and can make a large site feel less complex. If a customer is not overwhelmed, they will stay at your site longer.

Know Your Audience

Designers have to know who the target audience is before choosing a color scheme. Before you begin your design, you should ask yourself what colors the audience would find compelling and right for your product.

Different colors evoke different emotions in different cultures. This is important to keep in mind on the web if your site has an international audience. For example, in China red symbolizes happiness and good luck, in India it symbolizes purity and in South Africa it symbolizes mourning. To complicate matters further, many colors have both positive and negative associations in the same culture. In North America, for example, black can symbolize death in some instances and formality in others.

Web Designers should also use different colors if their target audience is a specific gender or age. For example, bright, primary colors like red yellow and blue are great for kid’s sites, but if you are designing a site for an audience over fifty you may want to use desaturated, softer colors. Younger audiences also tolerate a black or dark background with lighter text better than an older audience.

Here are the meanings of a few basic colors:

Red -Energy, strength, passion, risk, fame, love, -top, take notice

Blue -Wisdom, protection, spiritual inspiration, calm, reassurance, gentleness, water, creativity,-Depth quality; large companies often use it for their logos.

Yellow -Sun, intelligence, logical imagination, social energy, cooperation, sunshine, joy, happiness, intellect, energy, cheerfulness

Green -Healing, monetary success, fertility, growth, personal goals, resurrection, renewal, youth, stability, freshness, nature-Plants and environmental awareness

Grey Security, reliability, intelligence, dignity, maturity, conservative, practical

Temperatures of Colors

Yes, colors have perceived temperatures! The perception of your site will be affected by your choice of warm or cool colors. Cool colors are water and sky colors like blue and purple; warm colors are on the opposite end of the color wheel: red, orange and yellow.
The Importance of Contrast

Contrast between colors on a web page can help draw attention to certain elements.

Contrast between text and its background is a necessity for legibility. For example, black text on a white background is better than light blue text on a yellow background.

Different elements on your web page (i.e. the menu and body of the page) should also contrast or they will start to blend together. Contrast helps your audience distinguish between the different points on your site and therefore helps them feel less frustrated and gives them a more enjoyable experience when they visit your site.

Monitor Considerations

Color behaves differently on screen than in print. Light shines out at the viewer rather than bouncing off the surface of paper. White colors can appear very bright. Bright, saturated colors can appear a lot stronger on screen than in print as well, so you must beware. Viewer’s settings on their monitors will also affect how colors appear.

Color Design Links

· Here is a link to a great primer on the color wheel and how colors combine http://www.colormatters.com

· Colorschemer at http://www.colorschemer.com is a great color tool. It helps you create color schemes, match colors and determine the color used in graphics.

Color is a powerful design tool. Strong reactions to color from the audience of a site can assist in such things as brand confidence, sales growth, and readership. The web designer must match the colors they choose to the message and image they want to get across to the web site's customer.

About the Author:

Colleen Happ is an Internet marketing specialist and Creative Director of Happ Consulting. Happ Consulting helps companies succeed on line. Visit the Happ Consulting web site at http://www.happconsulting.com to view our portfolio and to sign up for our free newsletter to help you make the most out of your website.

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Article published on February 09, 2006 at iSnare.com

Web Design With A ‘Catch’

As time evolves, web design as well, must do the same. It is the duty of web designers to discover what’s ‘hot’ in web design and forget those which are already cliché to the industry.

Web design is an artsy interface. It is all about blending, harmony, unity and functionality. Its beauty and usability combined. Given is the fact that each web designer has his own style of making his design communicate. It varies according to the art influences that they have, their preferences and the stuffs that they want to incorporate in a certain design.

Time is one great influence. As we move forward, we are discovering lots of things to make our design better and more effective. Two of the new designs invading the internet nowadays are the design with the use of 3D objects and robots. This design is made possible by the use of 3D software, production technologies and other sophisticated materials.

When it comes to 3D objects, a simple spreadsheet can edit the same. Anyone skilled in the matter can control the object’s chamfers, fillets, dimensions, shell thickness and more. After that is to go into details. Even the minutest style element detail must be given a leeway and must be considered so as to yield a productive output.

3D software allows the designer to edit the image continuously. The style tools are just around the interface for easy access. This access can speed up the design process of the object. It can be edited and refined in an easy manner.

The evolution of these 3D tools will give a wider leeway to all the designers. As a result, design will be enhanced so as to make it catchier.

Another worthy discovery is the use of robots on the website. Robots can be easily downloaded. There are numbers of sites that are offering them. Through robots, you can give ample information. They are recorded so that the moment the viewers set their eyes on your site, they immediately hear the information. No need to scroll, no need to type. The information is readily made available to them.

These additions will surely uplift the web design’s aesthetic and functionalism aspects. More discoveries are yet to come.

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Article published on February 03, 2006 at iSnare.com

How Do You Master Web Design?

Web design is an artsy and skillful interface. In order to master it, you have to instill in your mind some basic rules. What are these rules?

1. Do not center everything. Doing so will just give your web design a scattered and disorganized look. When it comes to layout, centering tends to waste so much space. Try to maximize space. It is there for a purpose. Do not overlook that purpose.

In a nutshell, use space with cautiousness so as not to appear scattered at the same time not crowded. Use columns for better organization. That way, the contents are easy to read and the images will not appear as an eyesore.

2. To make your page more attractive, apply an efficient contrast. Contrast can be applied to color, size, value and weight of an image. Contrast has something to do with the clearness, brightness and volume of an image, logo or graphics. It can also be applied to texts and other objects of the web design. If you get it right, your web design will look organized and easy to scan. Be assured that the viewers will not find it hard to glance and search your site’s contents.

3. Be sure that sections are well separated. It must be easy to trace and the contents are easy to read. To distinguish one section from the other, you can use different colors or a thin line will do. Using borders is also a good remedy. Another option is to use blank ‘buffer zones’. This is somewhat similar to the concept of borders and dividing lines the only difference is that you are creating invisible lines to separate the parts of a page.

4. If web design is the queen, the king must be the content. Thus, to make your site functional, make sure that the information is tight and full. So not waste the space. Put something in it to make it productive.

Bear in mind that your site is not mainly to entertain their eyes. It is there to cater to their needs, answer their queries and tickle their fancies.

About the Author:

Please visit Website Design site at http://www.webdevelopmentpros.com/page/WebSite-Design.html for comments and inquiries regarding this article.
Read more articles by: Maricon Williams
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=32235&ca=Computers+and+Technology
Article published on February 03, 2006 at iSnare.com